Mentougou’s Yanchi town has large apple orchards. Local apples have thin skin, sweet taste and chewy texture. They were once served at the Great Hall of the People and sold abroad. The cultivation area is also a sightseeing belt in the district.

Taizimu village is known for its red fuji apples, which it has cultivated for more than 20 years. There were only 100 mu (6.7-hectares) of land for apple cultivation in 1986, when many farmers were reluctant to plant apple trees, said Peng Dechuan, director of the village committee. The other 400 mu were used for other crops. By 1990, all 500 mu areas were used for apples. “At the beginning, everyone worked in orchards in the daytime and studied agriculture at night,” Peng said. In 2004, the village registered trademarks for its apples, with the brand name Taizimu. In 2005, local apples made their way to the Thai market. They were identified as organic fruit at the end of 2007.